WICC The Voice of Connecticut

Host Paul Pacelli opened Thursday's "Connecticut Today" - heading into the Independence Day weekend - wondering how listeners would react to a new Gallup Survey on American pride (00:47). Former Bridgeport Democratic State Rep. Chris Caruso checked in with his weekly wrap-up, including his thoughts on a lot of sniping from Democrats aimed at Gov. Ned Lamont (15:54). CBS News correspondent Aaron Navarro joined us from D.C. with reaction to the Congressional debate and voting on a massive spending and tax bill (28:45), while National Taxpayers Union Foundation Executive V.P. Joe Bishop-Henchman talked about the state tax implications of that same...

Two national cases are coming to a close and not everyone is happy about it. Let’s start with hip-hop mogul and music legend, Sean Diddy Combs. After two months in a Manhattan courtroom, the jury found Combs not guilty on some serious charges that would have landed him in prison for life. We spoke with our legal expert, Attorney Bill Bloss, about this verdict. He also shared perspective on why prosecutors brokered a plea deal with Bryan Kohberger for the murders of four Idaho college students in 2022.

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A landmark bill supporting public libraries struggling to afford the skyrocketing costs of e-books and digital audiobooks is now law in Connecticut. The legislation took effect July 1, and it establishes Connecticut as a national leader in the digital arena and marks a significant step toward transparency, equity, and sustainability in how libraries acquire and provide resources to the public. We did a deeper dive into this law with State Librarian, Deborah Schander.

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Governor Lamont decided to veto House Bill 5002, a massive housing bill meant to address our ongoing housing crisis in the state. Despite a special session to tackle the legislation in the fall, there is reaction to that veto still erupting across the state. We got perspective from Renee Dobos, CEO of Connecticut Housing Partners.

IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

‘Tis the season for barbeques and gatherings. We chat with infectious disease expert, Dr. Fred Browne of Griffin Health, about a new study looking at processed foods like hotdogs as well as health warnings before major social gatherings for the July Fourth holiday.

IMAGE CREDIT: Griffin Hospital

Is the political climate ripe for a progressive uprising in Connecticut? That was the Wednesday question on the mind of "Connecticut Today" host Paul Pacelli, as we continued to analyze the recent New York City Democratic Mayoral primary (00:42). We also chatted about that primary with University of New Haven Adjunct Professor of Political Science Dr. Patricia Crouse (11:42) and Hearst Connecticut Media Senior Editor and Columnist Dan Haar (22:29). CBS News reporter Linda Kenyon in Washington, D.C. joined us to chat about any progress with a massive Trump White House tax and spending bill (32:11)

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Starting July first, new laws took effect in our state including reforms to Connecticut’s car towing system. We got more details about the reforms from DMV Commissioner Tony Guerrera. We also touched on the influx of residents requesting Real ID and addressed the ongoing texting scam tied to the DMV.

For more information from DMV: Connecticut DMV | CT.gov

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According to reports, the former Paier College is out of compliance with state rules after its closure in early May. The college was supposed to keep its website live for 12 months but if you click on the site, it says the domain expired. We spoke with Senator Henri Martin, Ranking Senator on the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, about the lack of accountability for the shuttered college.

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Rumors are swirling around the Bridgeport Islanders? Sports analysts and hockey reporters have been saying the AHL team is in talks with Canada to possibly move by the 2026-27 season, despite being tied to a six-year contract with Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport. We asked Mayor Joe Ganim about the rumors and what consequences follow if the team does in fact leave.

IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

Host Paul Pacelli opened Tuesday's "Connecticut Today" with his support for a reported push by officials to set up speed enforcement cameras on some state highway stretches (00:42). Rocky Hill/Wethersfield Democratic State Rep. Kerry Wood talked about her involvement with a group of moderate Democratic State House members supporting a possible re-election bid by Gov. Ned Lamont (14:40). Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio dropped by with her weekly update (22:02), while CBS News Chief White House Correspondent Nancy Cordes updated us on the Senate passage of a major tax and spending bill (30:40)

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There’s a lot happening this summer at The Maritime Aquarium! We spoke with Danielle Tranzillo, Nicki Rosenfeld and Dylan Salamone for all the details.
For more information: https://www.maritimeaquarium.org/

IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

From proposed rail fares to a left lane rule, we checked in with Josh Morgan of the Connecticut Department of Transportation. We also talked about the latest with the sinkhole situation in Stratford.

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A recent CT Mirror article revealed that the Lamont Administration discovered around $190 million dollars in revenue after the budget passed last month. How can this happen and what happens with that extra money now? We asked House Minority Leader Vin Candelora.

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A state grant will bring new housing to Shelton. Governor Lamont announced that $2.9 million in funding would go to remediate two properties on Canal Street in Shelton. Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti talked about these former industrial sites and the remediation process now. He also discussed his desire to create a regional special education school in the city.

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We are seeing a lot of recent examples of unruly fans at Major League Baseball games. Unsportsmanlike conduct from fans and coaches has been an growing problem since the pandemic and our state has been working to combat it. We checked in with CIAC Executive Director, Glenn Lungarini, to talk about the issue and how it’s being tackled with high school sports in our state.

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Host Paul Pacelli opened a new week on "Connecticut Today" wondering why New York City Mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani and other progressives constantly bash and lash out at billionaires (00:39). State Senate GOP Leader Steve Harding talked about the re-appointment of Marissa Gillett by Governor Ned Lamont to head the state's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (15:05). Landmark Legal Foundation Vice-President of Legal Affairs Mike O'Neill dropped by to chat about the key decisions handed down last week by the U.S. Supreme Court (24:18)

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The annual Step Up for the Brave event is back to support Homes for the Brave. We spoke with executive director, Vince Santilli. 
To register: https://homesforthebrave.org/
IMAGE CREDIT: Eric Urbanowicz

As the Raul Valle trial continues in Milford Superior Court, we asked our legal expert on the show about the case. We asked Attorney Bill Bloss, not involved in the case, about how immunity deals work and the impact of seeing so many young people taking the stand during the trial.

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A new report reveals the severe impact of business scammers who can steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in a flash without proper protection. Kristen Johnson of the Better Business Bureau serving Connecticut shared key takeaways from the report and tips to protect yourself.

For more on this study: Business Scam Study

A new DCF performance audit looked at the state department’s response to children missing from care. It identified internal control deficiencies, noncompliance with laws and a need for improvement in practices. The report looks at the fiscal years that ended June 30, 2021, 2022, and 2023. Senator Jason Perillo, Ranking Senator on the Committee on Children, shared reaction to the report.

To read the full report: PERFORMANCE_Department of Children and Families' Response to Children Missing from Care FULL_20250625.pdf

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Is another prominent Republican in our state thinking about running for governor? Hearst Media recently shared that Senator Ryan Fazio is weighing his options for a 2026 gubernatorial run. We spoke to him about it.

IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

Friday's "Connecticut Today" featured former Bridgeport Democratic State Rep. Chris Caruso (00:41) and host Paul Pacelli (11:52) both lamenting the continued inaction from the General Assembly on any major absentee ballot reforms in the wake of the 2023 Bridgeport election scandal. CBS News legal analyst Thane Rosenbaum broke down the day's major decisions from the U.S. Supreme Court (25:13). Travis Kennedy, author of, "The Whyte Python World Tour: A Novel," dropped by to talk about his new book (31:50)

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Norwalk is celebrating a major milestone for Manresa Island: the demolition of three 7.5-million-gallon steel oil tanks. The removal reportedly marks the first major physical step in transforming the abandoned and polluted industrial site into a vibrant community park, unlocking 76,000 square feet of new park space. We talked about it with Jessica Vonashek, executive director of Manresa Island Corporation.

For more information: Manresa Island Park

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Governor Lamont signed a bill into law dubbed the Fallen Heroes Fund. It’s an expansion of the Fallen Officer Fund, which provides survivor benefits to the families of fallen police officers. This modified law now expands its availability to include the families of all first responders, including firefighters, EMTs, and paramedics. Comptroller Sean Scanlon spearheaded the legislation and talked about the impact of the expansion now.

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Host Paul Pacelli kicked off Thursday's "Connecticut Today" wondering if a startling primary win in New York City earlier in the week should worry the Democratic Party establishment here in Connecticut and Governor Ned Lamont (00:45). Connecticut State Republican Party Chairman Ben Proto talked about the latest political news and a pair of controversial vetos from Gov. Ned Lamont (12:41). GOP State Senator Dr. Jeff Gordon detailed the latest controversy surrounding the state's Public Utilities Regulatory Authority - PURA (22:47), while CBS News military analyst U.S. Army Col. (Ret.) Jeff McCausland discussed the ongoing intelligence reviews of last weekend's U.S. military...

Following the governor’s decision to veto House Bill 5002, addressing the housing crisis in Connecticut, Governor Lamont wants to hear from local officials, P&Z Commissions and both parties about better solutions to fix the bill. Specifically, he called out Republicans being at the table ahead of September’s special session ONLY if they bring solutions and not just “no’s.” We talked about those solutions with Senate Minority Leader, Steve Harding.

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Bridgeport Public Schools has secured $74 million in state funding to construct a state-of-the-art special education center, the first of its kind in the state. This is just one of many good news headlines coming out of the city and we got a check-in with Dr. Royce Avery, Interim Superintendent of Schools, for all thing parts in the district.

For those interested in a district teacher position: https://www.bridgeportedu.net/

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We spoke with State Senator Tony Hwang about a major vote today with the CT Siting Council regarding proposed UI monopoles impacting Fairfield and Bridgeport. We also talked about the controversy surrounding a proposed sale of Aquarion Water Company to the Regional Water Authority.

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After two months away, we played catch up with show fan favorite, Dr. Fred Browne of Griffin Health. We talked about changes to vaccine recommendations as well as potential summer issues Connecticut residents should avoid involving insects, oysters or the water.

IMAGE DETAILS: Dr. Fred Browne / Griffin Health

Host Paul Pacelli opened Wednesday's "Connecticut Today" wondering if an election result just a few miles away in New York City signals a major shift in the Democratic Party (00:43). Southern Connecticut State University Political Science and Urban Affairs Professor Dr. Jonathan Wharton joined us to talk about that Big Apple race, along with the latest on Gov. Ned Lamont and President Trump (15:37). Hearst Connecticut Media Senior Editor and Columnist Dan Haar dropped by to chat about a couple of controversial vetoes by Gov. Ned Lamont and rumors of another possible GOP gubernatorial candidate (26:37)

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This week, Governor Lamont decided to veto two pieces of legislation that passed both chambers during the 2025 session. Senate Bill 8 which would have provided benefits to striking workers after two weeks on the picket line and House Bill 5002 to address the ongoing housing crisis. We got his feedback about these decisions from the governor and what happens next.

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The National Transportation Safety Board hosted a hearing to address a scary situation involving a door flying off a Boeing aircraft in 2024. Thankfully, no one died in this mid-air disaster but put a target on the backs of Boeing and the FAA. What went wrong and how can the problem be avoided in future? We got perspective from retired airline pilot, Paul Zielinski ((00:00)) as well as Senator Richard Blumenthal ((8:39)).

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"Connecticut Today" host Paul Pacelli welcomed Yankee Institute blogger Meghan Portfolio on Tuesday's show to chat about the blowback aimed at Gov. Ned Lamont's veto of a controversial housing bill earlier in the week (00:35). Sacred Heart University Political Science Professor and Scholar-in-Residence Dr. Gary Rose discussed the Connecticut and national political scenes (10:36), while CT Inside Investigator reporter Marc Fitch talked about the latest chapter in an ongoing Bridgeport political investigation (19:45)

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We checked in with Representative Kara Rochelle who represents parts of the Valley, including Ansonia. She shared her take on oversight for the city’s finances and responded to claims by Ansonia Mayor David Cassetti. We also got her reaction regarding the governor’s decision to veto both Senate Bill 8 and House Bill 5002.

IMAGE CREDIT: Melissa Sheketoff

According to the Trump Administration, the 988 National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline will stop providing tailored support options to LGBTQ+ youth starting July 17th. What are the impacts of eliminating the “press 3” option for that national helpline for this specific population of youth in America? We asked Aaron Almanza of the LGBT National Help Center.

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Monday's "Connecticut Today" featured host Paul Pacelli discussing the previous weekend's U.S. military strikes on Iran's three main nuclear sites with University of New Haven Professor of National Security Dr. Howard Stoffer (00:28) CT News Junkie columnist and Substack.com blogger Terry Cowgill dropped by to chat about those attacks and two controversial vetoes announced by Gov. Ned Lamont (10:19)

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A surprise attack happened on three key Iranian nuclear facilities. Operation Midnight Hammer reportedly involved B-2 stealth bombers dropping massive bombs on the facilities. We’re told no Iranian soldiers or civilians were hurt in the attack. Former FBI Agent, Ken Gray, joined the show to talk about the potential success of the mission and what it now means in the aftermath for the US.

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As we enter the third day off Raul Valle’s trial, what can the general public takeaway from this devastating case? Valle is accused of stabbing and killing Fairfield Prep student, Jimmy McGrath, outside of a house party in Shelton back in May 2022. We spoke with Gary MacNamara about laws on the books for people who host house parties and allow underage drinking.

Image Courtesy of Melissa Sheketoff

Following the attack on Iran, US officials worry about Iran’s counterattack; mostly with cyberattacks. We spoke with crime prevention expert, Jim Perez, about what to do to harden your online presence and avoid a cyber crime.

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